Hey, guys!
Just a little thought that came to me when I woke up cuddling my pillow - Maybe I'll name my next teddy bear Pavel Chekov. Haha! So that way I can cuddle Pavel every night!
I am no expert on Slash, so do not flame! My second slash story ever. If you don't like, don't read! Nothing too steamy, I promise.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I do, however, own this story. Do not steal!!
In all of my life, I have never before witnessed anything cuter than seeing one Pavel Chekov cuddling the crap out of his little felt teddy bear.
He had been doing it ever since I could remember. When we were roommates at Star Fleet Academy he would have a plethora of little sleeping mates to choose from every time we went to bed. He had no idea that I knew, of course, and would wait until my breathing had quieted and evened in the darkness before getting up and pulling the little guy of his choice out of his hiding place. Even after we were assigned to the Enterprise his endearing habit would not cease - every time I just happened to see him sleeping (in other words, gazing upon his napping visage with a mixture of affection and self-disgust) he would have his arms wound around a pillow or teddy bear, pulling it close to his chest.
I had never been more jealous in my life.
I can remember the first time he woke up to me staring down at him from where I was standing by the door, barely containing my delighted chuckles to see the cutest sight anyone could ever lay their eyes upon. He sat bolt upright, his face burning scarlet to the roots of his blond curls, before ranting out of embarrassment in his home language and making me promise not to tell anyone. I didn't say anything about how long I had known, of course, not wanting to sound like the creeper I knew that I was when I watched him sleep. Pavel was my best friend, and I wouldn't make him uncomfortable if I could help it.
"Oh, you are just jealouz!" he had once said, much after the initial embarrassment had passed, with his soft, angelic laugh. My cheeks to immediately grew warm with shame as I struggled to say something. I panicked - he knew.
"You are enwiouz zat I am cool enough to hawe a teddy bear and you don't hawe one!"
I had breathed an enormous sigh of relief, just shaking my head with a breathy laugh. "Yeah, you know it, Pav," I said, trying to hide my blush by turning my face away from his.
I knew that if I didn't do something soon, the image of beautiful Pavel Chekov cuddling the teddy bear his mother had sent him for Christmas last year would be burned onto the back of my eyelids for the rest my life!
But what could I do? I couldn't just wrap a bow around myself, construct a pair of bear ears out of whatever materials were lying around, and demand that he cuddle me instead of the felt monsters that he was so used to... Could I?
No, no, of course not, I told myself, mentally berating myself for the small shiver that ran down my spine at the thought.
I couldn't kidnap the stupid thing, it'd just break his heart. Which was a shame, because it would have been pretty cool to hear my enemy burn after I dumped it down the incinerator chute. I sighed, dropping my face into my hands, desperately trying to think.
"Are you vell, Heekaru?" a cheerful voice asked above my head and I suddenly straightened up, met with the face of a Russian angel, and pushed all thoughts of Pavel's sleeping habits out of my head for the time being.
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," I said with a cheesy smile, watching as his lithe body slid into the bench across from me.
Pavel smiled back at me before his brow furrowed in concern. "You are not hungry?"
"Just thinking," I told him with a reassuring upturn of my mouth and he slid a spoon across the table. I looked at him, confused.
"Vell, dig in, zilly head," he said with a laugh, passing me the Bovarian Fruit Yogurt that he had on his tray and I smiled.
"Thanks, Pav."
We ate in silence for a moment, watching as other officers wandered into the Mess hall for their lunch.
"Ve are still on for ze movie tonight, yes?" he asked me, reaching over with his own spoon to take a bite of the purpley-colored yogurt. My heart thudded in my chest and I briefly wanted to take that yogurt carton and save it forever...
God, I am such a smitten loser.
"Yeah, definitely," I said, plan starting to form in my head, "Listen, you think we can postpone it a little?"
Chekov looked up at me, his blue eyes widening a little in confusion. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he looked a little hurt.
"Just by a few hours, nothing major. McGrumpy wanted to give me a physical," I lied with a well placed grimace, "So, say, 2100 hours?"
He nodded enthusiastically. "All right, eez date!" he exclaimed, picking up his tray. I was momentarily grateful that he chose to get up at that moment, seeing that he would have witnessed me having a minor heart attack if he didn't.
- - -
After a day of plotting, only interrupted by my gaping and staring whenever he walked into the room, I had a tentative plan in place. Of course, I was depressed that I had to wait two more hours to see him, but hoped it would pay off in the end.
"Are you ready?" his pleasantly accented voice asked me and I nodded, walking over with the popcorn bowl and sat beside him on the pillowless couch.
"Yeah," I said, resting the bowl on my lap, "Computer, dim lights to zero-percent. Play video feed."
The lights dimmed and the monitor before us purred to life, showing a movie that had recently come into theaters back on earth. Instead of paying attention to our little premier, however, my eyes were glued to the blond boy beside me. His wide, blue eyes looked up at the screen before us, his arms wound around his thin body - I suddenly felt guilty over lowering the heat of my room. He would occasionally reach over to pick some salty, yellow kernels, causing my heart to speed with nervous anticipation.
His eyes soon began to flutter shut, and I knew the time was coming. "Eet eez getting wery late, Heekaru," Pavel muttered sleepily.
"Don't worry, the movie doesn't last much longer."
He didn't last until the end of the movie, which I knew he wouldn't, but swore at the turn of events.
"Damn it!" I swore under my breath, looking down at the young Pavel Chekov, clinging to the arm of my couch sleepily. I sighed, standing up to retrieve a blanket and threw it over my young friend, wanting nothing more than to drag him to my bunk.
"Night, Pav," I whispered, running my fingers through his golden locks.
My eyes lingered on his calm face before I placed my bowl in the dishwasher and started changing into my Fleet issued pajamas, the only sound filling the room that of rustling clothing and his even breathing. I finally collapsed on my bed, pulling the covers up around me. As soon as my head hit the pillow, however, I sighed.
Oh, what the hell?
I stood up and pulled out the hidden pillow that was usually on the couch. Upon drawing nearer to my sleeping friend, I was once again hit with the overwhelming want to lay down beside him and pull him into my arms. Instead, I kneeled beside him and tried to deposit the pillow in his slack arms. He started to mumble something, so I brought my ear closer to his mouth.
"Doumo arigo mazuu..."
I smiled, recognizing the words from when I attempted to teach him Japanese. It wasn't anything intimate, but even hearing a language that was spoken so often in my home when I was a child was enough to make me more determined than before.
"Ganbatee koodeezay, Heekaru..." He hugged the pillow closer to his chest and I felt a warmth spread through my chest.
I was going to replace that goddamn pillow if it was the last thing I ever did.
- - -
"You know, we never finished our movie last night," I remarked, stabbing at my food noncommittally. The Mess Hall was filled with officers either finished for the day or about to take on their night shifts, and we were two of the former.
"Da, vould you like to finish it tonight?" he asked me and I nodded, chewing my food thoughtfully before responding.
"Yeah, same time as last night?"
He pouted, his brow furrowing quite attractively. "But I may fall asleep again," he pointed out and I shrugged.
"Well, if you do, think of it as a reminder of our days as roommates," I said with a rueful grin, one that he mirrored.
"Oh, fine," he said enthusiastically, "But I vill bring ze popcorn zis time."
I fidgeted where I was sitting on the couch. This time I prepared myself a little better - the couch was void of any pillows and blankets, and the arm was barren of its cushion, an extreme I went to in hopes of stopping Pavel of his inanimate object cuddling habit.
"Come on in," I called, standing up to unlock my door. It slid open to reveal Chekov standing with popcorn bowl in hand. I chuckled softly, eyeing the pajama pants he decided to pair with his uniform shirt that certainly were not Star Fleet issued.
"My Maht sent them to me," he said with a blush, moving to sit on the couch. I just smiled, shaking my head as I moved to sit next to him.
"Computer, dim lights to zero percent."
The evening carried on much as it did last night - his bright, blue eyes were glued on the monitor whilst mine glanced at him every five seconds, only to avert to my lap whenever gazes met. When I noticed his eyelids starting to droop, I moved myself impossibly closer without being inappropriate and smiled victoriously when he started to swoon toward my chest.
Yes, yes! ... Goddammit!!
I looked down at the young man who had, of course, ended up cuddling the couch arm again. Determined to not go to sleep unsatisfied, I gently circled his wrists with my fingers, prying his grip off of the couch. It was tedious work, trying to do this without waking him up, but justified my rash actions with the four simple words it'll be worth it.
Which it was.
I pulled the pillow out from under the couch, the one that I had quite creepily sniffed that morning after he had discarded it, and placed it beneath our heads before pulling the blanket out from the same place and covered our embracing bodies with it. I wasn't sure what I was going to say in the morning to justify my actions, or even if I was going to own up to it, but at the moment it was just so worth having his warm body pressed to my chest, our arms wound around each others' waists.
I drifted off to the feeling of Pavel's heart beating against mine and words of russian being whispered into my ear, sayings that I half-heartedly imagined were loving proclamations, but were most likely random sleep rantings.
- - -
My eyes blinked drowsily, opening to golden fabric. I looked up before quickly closing my eyes again and burying my face once more in Sulu's yellow shirt.
This was one dream I did not want to wake up from.
If dream Hikaru was awake he didn't show it. His strong arms were wrapped around my waist - strong like iron, but soft like the petals of the flowers he so often studied. This was so much better than all those nights imagining it was him I was holding in my arms and not a stupid teddy-bear.
One of his warm arms released me, drifting up my body so he could run his fingers through my curls, something I had always wanted him to do. When his warm lips pressed against my forehead I couldn't help but release a soft "Hmmm", my mouth curving into a smile.
His body became rigid against mine. "Pavel?" the dream whispered to me and I frowned.
"No. I don't vant to vake up. Zis vone eez zo much better."
"What?"
"Zis dream eez zo much better zan all of ze ozers," I muttered sleepily, resting my head at the crook of his neck, enjoying how it was seemingly made to fit there. He chuckled softly, his breath tickling my face sweetly as his body relaxed against mine. Dream Hikaru's fingers resumed their exploration of my scalp and I sighed, allowing my eyes to drift shut once more.
"If this is a dream, I think I just might cry out of frustration," he whispered, his words vibrating deep in his chest. I tightened my hold around his waist and he did the same, dropping his face to nuzzle against my neck.
I released a strangled breath as my heart broke. "Vhen I vake up it eez going to be ewen harder becauze you said that," I said with a dry sob and he automatically pulled away, studying my face with a mixture of shock and guilt.
"Listen, I'm sorry, okay? I can just get up and we can pretend this never happened - "
I shook my head stubbornly, running my fingers across his chest distractedly as I blinked away the tears.
"What's wrong, Pav?" he asked me softly, his fingers coming to rest under my chin, trying to force me to look up at him. I refused to, too stubborn and scared to even face my dream.
"I don't vant to vake up, Heekaru. I vish it eez like zis for real."
He was silent for a moment. It was seconds later that I noticed his chest vibrating and I looked up to see him holding back laughter.
"Vhy are you laughing at me?!" I demanded, still heartbroken over my realization, and now angry. He smiled down at me sympathetically.
"Because it can be like this - it is like this."
"How?"
"'Cause I said so. You trust me, don't you?" he asked me and I nodded, knowing that with all my heart.
"More zan anyvone."
He wrapped his arms around me once more and I turned around in his embrace. I loved the way my back fit against his chest as if they were made for each other - like the way the plastic containers in the Mess Hall fit together perfectly with their plastic tops, and the way Scotty's bottles of alcohol fit perfectly with their little corks. His lips pressed against the base of my neck, kissing my worries away in a way that only he could.
"Then close your eyes and go to sleep, 'kay? Everything is always clearer in the morning."
I nodded sleepily, tucking my forehead under his chin, eager to follow his direction.
- - -
I looked down at the sleeping man in my arms, grinning goofily as the night came back to me. My heart felt like it was just going to burst with the overflow of emotions - it made me want to scream or something, but doing that would just wake up Pavel, and that would be stupid.
He - He wanted it to be real, too, I thought to myself joyously, pulling him closer to my chest, feeling as if I could melt like soup.
I knew I should calm myself down, before I did something too extreme, but I just couldn't - it wasn't even a possibility. I felt him begin to stir and pressed my lips to his ear, burying my cheek in his golden locks.
"Morning," I whispered to him, pressing a kiss behind his ear.
"Nichewo sibye, you really can do everything," he muttered sleepily and I laughed. He seemed to actually wake up when I did this, his body stilling suddenly before stretching. I was happy he didn't try to leave my embrace, because I couldn't guarantee I would have let him.
"Zis is real, da? Not dreaming?" he asked me softly and I nodded, resting my chin on his shoulder.
"Like I said last night - If this was a dream, I think I'd cry."
He whimpered suddenly. "Real anzer, pleaze. I need to know."
I sighed, tightening my hold around him before answering, "This is not a dream - this is real. Leave it to you to want the straightforward response."
I smiled down at him, watching as he turned in my arms to face me. I could see the wonderment in his eyes and fell for him all over again. He reached up to caress my cheek, moving it from my temple to the corner of my lips where my tongue darted out to meet it. He shivered.
"Sick day?" I asked him with an amused smile, bring my hand up to lock with his. He nodded, his eyes still round as saucers.
"Zeeck day," Pavel agreed whole-heartedly and I chuckled once more, lowering my lips to his.
What Chekov was trying to say in the beginning was -
Doumo Arigatou Gozaimasu - Thank you very much
And
Ganbatte Kudasai - Do your best
What Chekov said in Russian at the end was -
Nichewo sibye - Wow!/I can't believe it!
Any of these could have been incorrect, I just left it to the internet translators.
Thanks for reading, R&R!